Chapter 3
1088 Words
Jade's pov
The distant yet constant ringing slowly roused me to consciousness.
The first thing I noticed was a heavy weight on me.
I slowly realized it was an arm slung around my waist and my heart hammered loudly in my chest when I realized we were both naked.
I scrambled off the bed, quickly shrugging on my gown before I turned at the sound of a groan from the bed.
I gasped as Silas peered at me with confused grey eyes.
No, no, no...this couldn't be happening.
This had to be a mistake.
How did I end up in Silas' room?
"What are you doing in my room?" Silas' voice broke the silence.
I remained silent, unsure what to say in my defense.
"Did you seduce me?" He scrunched his nose in what seemed like disgust and my heart dropped.
He looked like he wanted to say more but his phone began to ring.
"What?" He barked at whoever was at the other end of the phone.
"What are you even talking about? Slow down." He frowned.
This was the worst time for me to notice how devastatingly handsome this man looked with his black hair shooting out in every direction.
"What!" He boomed right before he ended the call and looked at his phone.
"Oh my god." He murmured as he scrolled through his phone.
"You planned this out, didn't you?" He looked up and the pure anger and hatred in his eyes baffled me.
"Planned what?" I asked in confusion.
"You are a wonderful actress, I'll give you that." His words were filled with venom and he thrusted his phone into my hands.
There staring back at me were pictures of Silas and me in front of his room.
In one of them I was caged within his arms as he opened the door, in another we leaned against each other as we laughed.
The pictures had varying captions, some of which I cringed at.
"This is horrible," I whispered.
"I had no idea how this could have happened." I pleaded.
"What were you doing in front of my room?" He asked.
"I told you the last thing I can remember is leaving the hall to go to my room," I explained.
"How convenient." He sneered.
Thousands of people had seen those pictures and I could only wonder what they might be thinking.
"Get out," Silas commanded me.
"We have to find a way-"
"Get out." His voice boomed and I jumped.
I picked up the rest of my belongings with shaky hands.
As I pulled open the door, rapid flashing lights from different cameras went off and reporters pushed against each other.
I hurriedly shut the door and bolted it.
"I thought I told you to leave." Silas' cold voice called out to me.
"There are reporters at the door," I informed him.
"Shit." He muttered before picking up his phone.
I hugged myself and stood at the doorway unsure what to do.
I couldn't help but wonder how everything had gone downhill.
It all started with whatever was in that stupid drink that made me lose my senses.
The drink...Morgan had given me that drink and it was the only thing I took throughout the dinner yesterday.
What had she put in my drink?
****
"Of all the men present at the event you had to choose my boyfriend, didn't you?" Morgan sneered once I shut the door behind me.
"You were the one who drugged my drink," I called her out.
"I expected you to embarrass yourself in front of daddy's investors so that he would realize how much of a liability you are to the company but instead you had to turn around and sleep with my boyfriend." She didn't bother denying it and I gasped.
"You are despicable." I gritted out but my words seemed to fall on deaf ears.
"That's enough, both of you." My father strolled into the sitting room.
"What happened Jade?" He asked me with a look of disappointment and my heart dropped.
Tears pricked the back of my eyes but I refused to let them fall, I wouldn't give Morgan or Joan that satisfaction.
"I am beyond disappointed in you Jade. You knew how important this event was to me and you know the last thing I needed was scandal accompanying it." My father said and I felt like my heart was being ripped out.
"You have been manipulating your father's love for you all this time Jade but I won't allow it to go on for a second longer. Our family is under scrutiny and most importantly the legacy your father struggled to build is being threatened because of your stupidity." Joan accused.
"I've spoken to Silas and we both agree there is only one way to move forward. You have to marry him." My father announced and my eyes nearly bulged out of its sockets.
"What? It's bad enough that she slept with the man I love dad, now you want her to marry him?" Morgan exploded.
"It is for the best and it is the only way to remedy the current situation." My father explained.
"I hate you with every fiber of my being." Morgan shot me a death glare before she stormed out of the living room.
"I can't marry him, dad." My voice was tiny and meek.
"You don't have an option, Jade. We will explain to the press that you both fell in love and Morgan is in full support of your relationship." He explained.
"The wedding is going to be a small affair but we will ensure a reporter is available to capture the moment and spread the news." My father informed me.
"When?" I asked numbly.
"Tomorrow." He said and I gasped.
"Silas has agreed to this?" I inquired.
"He has. He understands that our companies are in a fragile state and we have to act with haste to salvage the situation." He proclaimed.
"What is the big deal even if we did sleep together? It should be no one's business, let alone the reason as to why our company would crumble." I muttered and my father scowled down at me.
"We are public figures. People look up to us and our lives are constantly under scrutiny. I thought you understood that and I really thought you had what it took to keep the company in all its glory."
My father looked at me sadly as he shook his head before leaving the room without another word.
- Writer
